BigCol Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 In this thread on Wanted, I suggested the poster who was seeking a draft excluder, might make his own rather than buying a commercial one as I felt the result was much neater, much better and much cheaper...I offered to provide destructions and have since had a few messages, so thought there might be a benefit in posting something for a wider audience.So this is what I did, pretty simple really... First I put a large sheet of cardboard against the rollbar and drew around the inside edge to get the necessary shape for the wind deflector.I then bent some aluminium tube (from B&Q) to this shape - needed a couple of joints as the length I had wasn't sufficient (best these are on the top edge)I then wrapped the frame with black insulation tape (guess could paint or leave bare but my car is black or coloured - no chrome etc!)I then masticked (could glue but the black mastic worked well) some fly screen mesh (available by the metre online) to the tube and trimmed once dry/set.Fixings are simply cable ties (need to cut the mesh carefully to allow then through) - two at the top one low on each side.Cost circa £10 and an hour or so's effort and the result in my opinion is much neater and significantly better than commercially-available alternatives:http://i1366.photobucket.com/albums/r765/BigCol911/fe00f5bd0916b08b123a6d03591c855d_zps0nbjoyt7.jpgI got the idea from one made by Ian James (SM25T). His is a bit more upmarket and involved sewing and stuff I can't do! You might be able search and find some info as am pretty sure both of us have offered the above advice previously!Best of luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonL Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Thanks BigCol. What did you do to join the lengths of aluminium tubing? Did you just wrap these together with tape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Nice job Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 On my 'to-do' list after seeing SM25T's Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadCat52 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Made my own (see https://www.lotus7.club/forum/chitchat/help-anyone-welding-gear-caterham-area).To be honest, although happy with the build, I was disappointed with the results as found minimal reduction in buffeting - placing my hand around my head whilst on the move to detect the airflow suggests the airflow/backwash from the turbulence caused by the windscreen isn't coming from behind the car as first thought, but coming down before it reaches the draft excluder. It could be that the long cockpit/SV configuration doesn't lend itself to this positioning and I need to think about something much closer to the headrests ... or drive faster ... or go aeroscreen Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Brown Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 This is also on my todo list. Interestingly I replaced my standard car with lowered floor last year with a CSR260 with lowered floor and feel that it has far less draught than previous with a draft execluder. Can't understand as cockpit is bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 JonL said What did you do to join the lengths of aluminium tubing? Did you just wrap these together with tape?I found a short piece of nearly-big-enough rod which I wrapped with tape to bring to size and jammed in either end plus a bit of glue... covering the whole frame with tape and the joint being at the top near the cable ties means it keeps its shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 MadCat52 said or go aeroscreen Despite making the deflector, that's what I do more often than not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrp Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 I sometimes have to do a long run on motorways with possible crap weather so I did similar exercise as BigCol but with a thin sheet of perspex then I can run with the half hood up and this as a back window.However I might make a second option as BigCol has. Mrp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAT170 Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 On 02/05/2017 at 12:59, BigCol said: I then bent some aluminium tube (from B&Q) to this shape - needed a couple of joints as the length I had wasn't sufficient (best these are on the top edge) Question for BigCol... What was the aluminium tube originally intended for commercially so I know where to look in B&Q or similar. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted July 30 Author Share Posted July 30 I'm not sure what size I actually used but B&Q (other hardware emporia are available) sell a variety of 1m lengths such as this 6mm diameter stuff. I don't think it has a specific purpose but is just "aluminium tube". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAT170 Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 Thanks. I'll give that a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smartizan Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 I did it with some bits of aluminum rod and bar from Screwfix and poppered it to the top of the boot and velcroed to the roll bar. https://170buildblognb.blog/draught-reducer/ Nick 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 Rather than using tape on the frame buy a long length of heat shrink from ebay and thread the tube/rod through the heat shrink . Tip when you put the heat shrink on put the ends opposite the tube/rod ends then heat to shrink on one side of the frame end, Then hold the frame so it butts together then carry on shrinking to complete the frame . it should be a nice smooth finish. I then pegged out the mesh onto a cardboard sheet sprayed the frame with spray adhesive. Then placed the frame onto the mesh and carefully rolled the mesh onto the frame left to dry, Then using a scalpel cut the unwanted mesh away. I use cable ties to secure to rollbar . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted August 2 Author Share Posted August 2 8 hours ago, JNC said: Rather than using tape on the frame buy a long length of heat shrink from ebay and thread the tube/rod through the heat shrink . Tip when you put the heat shrink on put the ends opposite the tube/rod ends then heat to shrink on one side of the frame end, Then hold the frame so it butts together then carry on shrinking to complete the frame . it should be a nice smooth finish. I then pegged out the mesh onto a cardboard sheet sprayed the frame with spray adhesive. Then placed the frame onto the mesh and carefully rolled the mesh onto the frame left to dry, Then using a scalpel cut the unwanted mesh away. I use cable ties to secure to rollbar . Damned good idea… wish I’d thought of that! 🤦🏻♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 Making the frame, I removed the rollbar and placed onto a sheet of ply wood I then drew around the inside edge of the rollbar three sides , The edge of the ply is the bottom of the frame. I purchased a length of aluminium bar 12mm from eBay for the frame. I chose bar rather than tube because I didn’t think I could make the bends without collapsing the tube on the corners. I then drew a new line inside the original line on the ply the same thickness as the bar. I then cut the ply to make a former to bend the aluminium bar round . Tip, cut some square holes in the ply before and after the bends so G-clamps can hold the bar as you bend it around the edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart Collier Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 I remember posting this on a previous discussion I used some fabric fly screen, an off cut bought from a local fabric shop. The frame is black curtain wire (Ebay) attached to the roll bar with black tie wraps and fixed onto the bottom wire with curtain hooks. I placed the fabric over the wire and sewed it by hand over the wire frame. https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/forums/topic/265469-effectiveness-of-rear-deflectors-windjammers/?do=findComment&comment=2527889 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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